Shopaholic girl, living on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Follow along as I share Adventures in Shopping, Coastal Lifestyle and Fun Times, and Trying to Lose Weight after turning 40-something! Expect to hear a lot about my obsessive Lilly Pulitzer shopping habits along the way....XOXO

Shopaholic in Alabama

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Hello my Friends! I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend. We had nice weather on Sunday, but it was still COLD. (Under 50 degrees = cold to me). The cold weather has me dreaming of spring.......and the new Lilly Pulitzer Spring collection.

I have so many favorites from this collection......whoa I'm in BIG trouble here. Seriously - at least 9 dresses have made their way onto my "must have" list. I wanted to share a few of them with you and see what you think.

TWYLA DRESS - Turquoise Purrfect Paradise $278

NADJA DRESS - Hotty Pink She's a Piston $248

SHERMAN TUNIC DRESS - Turquoise Gator Alley $228

ANDOVER DRESS - Prep Green Hit the Spot $168

Like usual, I want it ALL! What are your favorites from the new collection? I neglected to mention but of course I'm getting the PANDA shift, it's another "must have".

Thanks as always for reading my blog! Keep watching, we have another GIVEAWAY coming this week....AND some SALE info coming soon.....have a great week! :-)

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Happy Saturday to all my preppy fashionista friends! As you know from Friday, I'm trying to get over a migraine and actually enjoy the weekend.

There is a very special event happening in my hometown today. The annual "Senior Bowl" is in Mobile, AL. Now most of you are thinking "what??" so I'll tell you all about it.

Everyone knows "the South" is well known for their love of college football. Well actually, more like their OBSESSION with college football, and especially SEC football. All of us GRITS are proud to be a part of those traditions. GRITS = Girls Raised In The South. :-) If you're a GRITS, at the time of your birth, your parents have a favorite team and begin the indoctrination process VERY early. I'm sure there is a photo of this Shopaholic in her Univ. of Alabama cheerleader outfit somewhere around here.....

After the college football season ends (which this year my team won the national championship, Roll Tide Baby!) there is a game called the "Senior Bowl". The nation's BEST college football seniors are invited to play in the game. The players are put into teams - North vs. South.

The game is actually a week long tradition in Mobile. All of the game practices are open to the public. I can remember going to these practices with my Dad as a little girl and getting LOTS of autographs. How fun huh! I have autographs from many famous NFL coaches and now famous NFL players. One time a player gave me the chin strap piece of his football helmet after practice. Other local traditions to celebrate the game include a special Mardi Gras parade and a "Meet The Players" day at the Civic Center where you can meet, greet and get autographs until your heart is content. Provied you don't mind standing in a line about a mile long!

Note to single women out there - this is a GREAT week to be in town. Lots of available men in restaurants, bars, etc and most of them are employed by NFL teams.....Shopaholic is married to her sweetheart but I'm just offering a little advice here...... :-)

This year the game is completely SOLD OUT. That doesn't happen every year, although it always comes close to selling out. The quarterback from Univ. of Florida, Tim Tebow, is playing in this years Senior Bowl. As soon as the announcement was made that he would be here, a huge block of tickets were purchased. Speculation is he was the driving force behind the sellout.

Migraine go away, because tomorrow I'm going to the game with my Dad. Poor DH, he's on call this weekend so no fun for him. :-( The game starts at 3pm CT, and is broadcast live on the NFL Network. If you happen to see it, you might see me!

Friday, January 29, 2010

There will be no "real" post for me today, suffering with another migraine headache. They're the worst. As a result I'm going to try to stay off the computer for the majority of the day and see if that helps. I sure hope so. I want to enjoy the weekend with DH.

I hope you all have a great day! Hopefully I have something GOOD for you on Saturday!

Our friends at the VILLAGE PALM in Michigan are having a wonderful sale that starts TODAY! From now until Sunday, January 31, most of the store is 20-75% off! They have some GREAT deals for you! Here are a few of my favorites.

And guess what??? There is MORE - McKim sandals are $79, the ANYA Dress from Resort is $159, retail $298. Additionally, Sarah ships USPS for FREE! How about that? If you're looking for a specific item, be sure to ask Sarah about it. There's a possibility she has it, as no way I could mention all the store inventory! :-)

One more thing - can you handle it? When you make a $200 purchase, you will receive a coupon for UP TO 25% an ENTIRE order of regular priced merchandise ordered during the month of February......how about that? Now THAT I can live with. This means you have the chance of getting some new SPRING merchandise later at a great discount!

Don't forget, 10% of all sales made through FRIDAY will be donated to the CARE FOR HAITI RELIEF FUND.

You can check out Sarah's blog here and contact the store directly at 313-882-PALM (7256) to inquire about merchandise or place your order! Be sure to tell her you saw it on Shopaholic!

Happy Shopping, let me know what you find! :-)

p.s. Shopaholic was not compensated in any way to provide you this information. Just passing along the deals!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Happy Wednesday night, Fashionistas! I had such high hopes when the day started that I would declutter the house.....it didn't happen BUT the good news is that I am now "whole" again. Yep, I went to see the hair genius this afternoon!

When I moved back to Alabama, I was totally flipping out over my HAIR. See, I'm a LEO and our hair is mucho importante. When it looks bad, all bets are off. We don't even like to leave the house. Anyway, for the first few months after the move, I drove all the way to Rosemary Beach, FL to see my girl there. After doing that a few times, even I knew that driving 3 hours to get your hair done was just a "tick" outrageous, so I set out to find a local person.

Obviously the big man upstairs knew it couldn't be just anyone, so through one part recommendation and the other part luck, I found Phillip Drummond. He is WALKING hair GENIUS. Seriously. My hair is thick, long, and naturally wavy. It's a trifecta of hair issues. When I go for a full foil, cut and style (including blow dry), I'm at the salon 3-4 hours. Not many stylists can handle it, I promise you. Lucky Phillip, he gets to see me every 6 weeks. :-)

This man has worked all over the Southeast in high end salons for years. Salons in Birmingham, Atlanta, Miami and now Gulf Shores have been lucky enough to experience his talent. We always joke that when he worked in Birmingham, he had a lot of the dancers from a certain well-known "mens club" as clientele. Of course they all had long, thick and BIG hair. This obviously prepared him for my hair, although he didn't know it at the time! HAHA

I wanted to tell you all about him, because I know many of you that live in ATL, B'ham, Nashville, etc and vacation down here during the spring and summer. Many of my readers also live in the Mobile-Baldwin County area, and I just can't keep him a secret anymore. If you're looking for someone new, give Phillip a try. He doesn't even charge extra for all the LAUGHS you'll get in his chair. It is impossible to leave a Phillip visit in a bad mood!

You can reach him at 251-923-9737 to schedule an appointment.

Have a great night! Lilly sale tomorrow....

p.s. Disclosure stuff again, Phillip doesn't pay me to tell you about him. Matter of fact, I paid HIM today to make me look normal again!

Happy Wednesday, my dear Fashionistas! I hope you're all doing wonderful and having a great week! This morning I'm "taking back the house" from clutter, and then I have a big DATE with my stylist at 2pm. He's going to get me ALL fixed up, roots and split ends GONE by the end of the day!

If you're like me, you still have PECANS hanging around from the holidays. Luckily we live in an area where pecans are plentiful and the crops were fabulous this year. (everyone says this is because no big hurricane last season) There is a huge pecan tree at my Dad's office, and the guys go outside and pick them by the 5 gallon buckets on their breaks. We never have to buy pecans....

Funny I have been wondering what in the world I was going to do with all the leftover pecans and then I remembered this recipe! These are called "EASY PRALINES" because that's exactly what they are. I'm not good at making candy or baking (I cook "regular food" much better), and even I can make these babies!

Try them and let me know what you think! I've made about a half dozen times, and they're always a hit! Sorry that SANTA is in the picture, it was the only picture I could find without making the pralines right now!

As always, thank you for reading my blog. Please give me some feedback as to whether you enjoy the recipes. I would like to continue to share one every few weeks....many of you have expressed interest in some of my "southern food" recipes.

Be sure to check in tomorrow - I have another FABULOUS Lilly Pulitzer sale to share with you. It starts on Thursday.....and the deals are awesome! :-)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Happy Tuesday, my friends! This Shopaholic has a super easy day planned - lunch with a friend (maybe a margarita too!) and hopefully an afternoon of reading on the deck! We're going to have another mid 60's day and I plan to enjoy it! Before I get out of here, I have a few great deals to share with you!

One of my favorite Lilly Pulitzer Via shoppes, Under The Palm Tree, has a GREAT deal on the famous, fabulous and must have this season - the MURFEE Scarf! 20% off, FREE gift wrap/enclosure card for your Valentine and FREE GROUND SHIPPING! Directly from my email:

Get a Valentine Value for Your Lilly Lover!!The Fabulous Murfee Scarves 20% Off for Valentine's Day!!Give the Gift of Our Irresistable Murfee Scarves (made of Luxurious cashmere and silk) We'll Wrap Your Gift in a Genuine Lilly bag and Ship it for Free to Your Valentine! (shipping will be removed when your order is processed)Order Today and let us know in the Comments section how you would like your enclosure card to read!! All Lifeguard Press now 30% Off Shop early, shop often for the best deals!! No price adjustments will be made on previous purchases. We ship daily all orders placed by 3PM CST and update the site daily. Remember, no returns or exchanges on sale items.

Also, if you signed to be a fan on Facebook, you should have received an email with a special code for $20 off your next online order. GREAT NEWS! That code can also be applied to your MURFEE scarf purchase. If you'd like to sign up to be a Facebook fan, click HERE for the link.

To shop for your Murfee scarf (and other fun stuff!), click HERE. In addition, many of their Resort items are 30% off, and all remaining Lifeguard Press items are 30% off. If you've never shopped with Under The Palm Tree, you will not be disappointed. They're a Shopaholic favorite and frequently featured Lilly store. Be sure to tell them I sent you!

Many of you will remember that Shopaholic blogged about CAROLINE GRACE JEWELRY a few weeks ago HERE. I know several of you have either already ordered jewelry (or inquired about) from Caroline. Personally I ordered several pieces, which should be here in the next few days. I cannot WAIT to receive them, and will be modeling them for you once they arrive (after I get my roots done on Wednesday - naturally).

Due to such great response, Caroline Grace has generously EXTENDED the 20% Discount to Shopaholic readers until January 31, 2010. Don't forget to check out her Etsy store HERE, and be sure to let Caroline know you're a Shopaholic reader! Remember, it's not too late to receive your jewelry in time for Valentine's Day! I also ordered a necklace for my Mom, since Mother's Day will be here before we know it. But sshhhh don't tell her! I bought her THIS piece.

A special CONGRATULATIONS to Caroline Grace Jewelry! Her designs have been featured on several websites since we last featured on Jan. 13, as an "up and coming" jewelry designer. We can't wait to see where this journey takes Caroline and her designs! If you want to keep up with the Caroline Grace news and happenings, you can also join her fan page on Facebook HERE.

It's GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME! Last year, I didn't get any Girl Scout cookies. I was really sad about it too! This time of year, there is almost no one around here at the beach. Just us and a few other locals, plus some Snowbirds that call our town home for a few months every winter. Needless to say, there aren't many little people around either!

If you're like me and don't know anyone selling, I have a solution for you! My friend CHARITY has 2 daughters that are both Girl Scouts. They live in PA, and are taking orders for cookies. They will even ship them to you - FREE of charge! You just pay for the cookies! Isn't that a GREAT deal? Of course I had to order six boxes. What can I say? A long long time ago, Shopaholic was also a Girl Scout so I feel like I should support them, and FREE SHIPPING gets me every time!

To support the Girl Scouts and place your order, you can email Charity @ kerri53@hotmail.com OR charityb@hotmail.com. She would be thrilled to hear from you! Be sure to tell her Shopaholic sent you! :-)

What's your favorite type of Girl Scout cookie? Do you have a "special" way to eat them? I'm a thin mint girl myself.....and I've taken quite the liking to freezing them and eating later! Yummy!

Hope you have a Terrific Tuesday! Can't wait to hear if you're able to take advantage of any of these fantastic deals! Thanks as always for reading and recommending to others. Lots of fun things coming your way!

p.s. In the spirit of disclosure, I have not been compensated by Under The Palm Tree, Caroline Grace Jewelry or my friend Charity and the Girl Scouts for providing you this information. As always, I'm just passing along the great deals. Someone else besides me needs to continue shopping.....

Do you ever wonder WHY I mention this on almost every post? I heard from a little birdie that you can be fined if you don't.....and the fine is something crazy like $10K. Shopaholic doesn't have $10K to spend on a fine. I prefer to spend $10K having FUN! :-) So, now you know! I'm sorry you have to read that every time....

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Happy Day, my Fellow Fashionistas! I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend! DH and I had a great time celebrating Mardi Gras, hanging out with my parents at their island home (photo above taken from the deck), and watching the Saints make their way into the Super Bowl! Finally!

I wanted to warn you - I have a feeling we're going to see some VERY good sales over the next few weeks. Either get your wallets ready - or lock them up if you have to! Seriously, the Spring 2009 Lilly Pulitzer collection is debuting tomorrow. Many of our favorite stores still have pieces of the Fall and Resort collections on hand, and must make way for the new goodies! In a "normal" world, this equals SALE!

For me, there are about 6 pieces of the Resort collection I still "need" so I'm watching for them. Keep tuning in - I will share any fantastic sales with you! After all, we all need to join together and help support our economy! Retail sales are counting on us!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Hello Fashionistas! Pardon the bad picture and my awful roots (yes I have to get that handled next week).....but I wanted to say "hello" quickly and tell everyone HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

The season has officially started on the Gulf Coast. Today we attended two parades here on Dauphin Island, AL where my parents have a second home. The wind was blowing soooo bad, normally I would not be caught dead with my hair like this. But today's windy weather, combined with 70% humidity and the need for a hair cut and color didn't leave me very many choices.

For those who don't know, Mardi Gras originated in my hometown of Mobile, AL. Most people think it started in New Orleans......nope. Not correct. Soon I'll give you the history and tell you all about it. Right now the wireless signal is awful here on the island!

We'll be home tomorrow evening and my posting will return to "normal" - at least as normal as it was before. HA. Hope you're having a FABULOUS weekend.

p.s. The greatest thing about my ensemble today was the Lilly Pulitzer MURFEE scarf in Surf Blue Checking In. If you don't already have one, you should consider. This colorway matches almost everything I own!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Hello Everyone! It's FRIDAY! The temperature is going to reach 70 degrees here today and I plan to be out and enjoying the weather!

Are you like me and constantly searching for the perfect skin care treatment, the perfect lip gloss or the perfect shade of eye shadow? Cosmetics and skin care are an obsession of mine, I love to try new things and see the results. However, there are a few (VERY few) things I absolutely do not change.

My eye cream is one of them. I have used "All About Eyes" by Clinique since it was released. I honestly can't even remember how long it's been now, but I think 8-10 years. When I first started to use the product, I was beginning to notice dark circles and tiny, faint lines that looked like crow's feet when I smiled. After all, I do love to bask in the sun (I know; please don't fuss at me but tan fat is more attactive than white fat)....plus I wear contacts and therefore I'm never outside without sunglasses. This makes me squint a lot which also creates wrinkles. Ugh.

On the recommendation of more than one beauty expert, I purchased the product at my local department store's Clinique counter, and took the plunge. I've always used the eye cream in the AM after cleansing my face (and before applying makeup). Then at night, after I've removed all day's grungy makeup, I "slather it on" as part of my standard routine. About two weeks into using "All About Eyes", I was driving down the road and came to a red light. You know how we do - I pulled down the visor mirror and looked at my reflection. I couldn't believe the way my eyes looked in the natural sunlight! It made such a HUGE difference in that short period of time. I was hooked!

Over the years, I have recommended to tons of my friends and family, co-workers and total strangers. Once I was on a business trip to Omaha, and the lady in our office was looking for a change in her routine. We went to the mall after work and she purchased some to try. Several months later, I received an email from her. I wish I'd saved and sent to Clinique, they would have been impressed. Kathy said she ran out of All About Eyes, and she wasn't sure it was really working for her, so she didn't go out and purchase it again. After a week or two, people started to ask her questions. "are you sick"? "you look tired, is everything ok"? She told me "you better believe, I went right out and bought myself some right away". I emailed her back and said "I could have told you this, Kathy". haha.

Here is what the Clinique website states about the product:All About Eyes

Lightweight eye cream diminishes the appearance of eye puffs, darkness and fine lines. Non-creep, cream/gel formula actually helps hold eye makeup in place. For use morning and night, both under eyes and on lids. Ophthalmologist Tested.

Skin Types: All

If you're in the market for something new, you might want to give this a try. Especially if you're like me and you like to lay in the sun.....They also make another version called "All About Eyes Rich". I did try it, and thought it was too heavy for me. I will keep buying this one! At only $28.50 for the 0.5 oz size, you just can't beat it!

Do you have a favorite moisturizing product for the eyes? Or the face/neck? What works for you? I love to talk about skin care and would love to know what you use! :-)

Have a FANTASTIC Weekend, Fashionistas! Get out, wear something pretty and enjoy it!

p.s. Shopaholic has not been compensated in any way by Clinique to provide this information. I WISH! I just love to share my Favorite Things!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Happy Thursday, Fashionistas! I have two events on tap today - one fun, the other, not so much! Fun - lunch with BFF Ashleigh. NOT Fun - dentist appointment. Wish me luck!

Today I want to tell you all about what happens when you shop too much.........you'll never guess? You end up with TOO. MUCH. STUFF. Now don't get worried or anything. I'm not going to *gasp* stop or anything, but I do have a "slight" problem. I literally cannot fit anything else into the closet! Clothes are all over the guest bedroom. It's bad. So, I thought I'd have the SHOPAHOLIC CYBER SALE! Hey, maybe there's a "treasure" around here that you NEED. :-)

All of the items pictured are either New With Tags, or in the condition stated. I accept Paypal and can ship to you very quickly! Please email me (lori.driver@hotmail.com) if you have any questions about an item, need more info, etc. I am happy to help!

Happy Wednesday everyone! I'm back from spending a wonderful 36 hours with my parents. On Tuesday we celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary! I don't care who you are, 42 years is a LONG time to be married to the same person! :-)

We drove down to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, to the town of Biloxi. A little background for you on Biloxi...From the 1940's on, Biloxi was home to "illegal but we don't care, and we'll do it in your face" style gambling. However, it was a small town and you could only gamble in one place - the Broadwater Beach Resort. Folks all over the US gradually began to "discover" Biloxi as a tourist destination and many saw it as an alternative to visiting Florida or New Orleans. During the early 1990's, the politicians finally saw the light and decided to allow casino gambling. We know what they were thinking, right? TAX REVENUE! One by one, the big casinos like Beau Rivage, Isle of Capri Casino, Imperial Palace and Treasure Bay came to town. What happened then? Everyone flocked to the casinos, and a lot of the local restaurants with "character" were forced out. You know, victims of the "big bad" Vegas style casinos and their seafood buffets, comps and value meals. (Shopaholic is NOT a fan of the pig trough, AKA buffet).

One of the restaurants that "made it" was Mary Mahoney's Old French House. (They also survived 8 foot of water during Hurricane Katrina, but that's another post for another day). Do you recognize the name? You may, because the restaurant has quite the celebrity following for a little place in coastal Mississippi. One of my favorite authors, John Grisham, frequents Mary Mahoney's and has mentioned them in several of his novels, including "The Runaway Juror" and "The Partner". Mr. Grisham's fictional characters always order up a beer or two and the seafood gumbo at the bar. Elvis himself loved to partake of the fried seafood at Mahoney's (local speak). Denzel Washington prefers the seafood gumbo when he stops by, and Robin Roberts of ESPN, then ABC News fame, has also helped put them "on the map". Then we have the current Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre and his wife Deanna. They live in Kiln, MS (pronounced KILL) which is a short drive to Mahoney's.

We had a marvelous dinner at Mary Mahoney's. Here is a picture of their courtyard, complete with a 2000 year old oak tree called "The Patriach" by locals:

For my entree, the "Fish of the Day" - Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, topped with Lump Crabmeat and a side of Crawfish Etouffee on angel hair pasta.

Can you say "FOOD COMA"??? Oh there was also salad, served with one of their homemade dressings, Thousand Island. Don't get me wrong, I love oil & vinegar mixes, raspberry vinagerette, etc but HERE it's Thousand Island. :-)

It was a wonderful evening, and I felt soooo blessed to share the time with my parents. After years of living away from my family, I am more thankful than ever to be able to join these celebrations!

If you ever make it to Biloxi, be sure to visit Mary Mahoney's. What's there not to ♥ about a restaurant that proudly boasts "we'll add lump crabmeat to anything on the menu"?!? You can visit their official website HERE, but know you'll get hungry if you look at more pictures! Added bonus - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is right across the street so you can walk to gamble or walk to dine. Shopaholic does not really gamble, you all know I'd rather spend my $$ on clothing or shoes or cosmetics or accessories, or......you fill in the blanks!

p.s. Shopaholic wasn't compensated by Mary Mahoney's, Hard Rock, or the City of Biloxi. I WISH!!!! I do love my Gulf coast, and I plan to gradually share more of my favorite places with you. Maybe next time I'll talk about Destin, FL or New Orleans. Who knows? Enjoy!

WINNER OF THE AVEDA GIVEAWAY WILL BE POSTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON! Can't wait! Until then, make it a GREAT day!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Happy Tuesday everyone! We're having a "warm snap" here on the Alabama gulf coast. It was 68 degrees today. I dug out the McKim wedges in gold and finally wore one of my new Marcella dresses. Loved it!

The nice weather had me thinking about Easter......for those of you who don't know me well (yet!), I change my mind about a dozen times before I decide on an Easter dress. What can I say? I like to have OPTIONS. You know - does the dress fit? Does it make me look fat? Does it make me look thin? (which is preferred, BTW). Is it TOO dressy? Is it too *gasp* casual?

Recently I picked this up for a steal, and I'm considering for Easter. It's one of the Jubilee collections dresses from last year.

LILLY PULITZER FITCH DRESS

So what do you think? I'd love to hear your opinion. Tell me if this works, Fashionistas! :-)

Have a GREAT day! Don't forget, today is the LAST day to sign up for my AVEDA giveaway HERE. Also be sure to check out the LILLY PULITZER giveaway HERE.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Happy Monday morning Blends! Since we're usually a little "blah" on Mondays, I have a special treat for you today!

Does 20% off JACK ROGERS, MYSTIQUE, BERNARDO, MATISSE or LILLY PULITZER Sandals sound unbelievable to you???? And not just one pair, your ENTIRE order? If you're still upright, continue to follow along.

To sweeten the deal, you receive a FREE NECKLACE of your CHOICE with your completed order.

Welcome to an online treasure trove called SANDAL WORLD. I have shopped them on numerous occasions. The product selection is excellent and service stellar. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I'm considering this pair of Jack Rogers Navajo Flats in the Fuchsia/Lime combo. What do you think of these to match all my pink and green Lilly ensembles?

You can click HERE to visit the Sandal World website. Upon checkout, enter code "2010" in the NOTE section for your 20% discount. The 20% discount will be applied after your order is placed. Discount code valid through January 31, 2010. Don't forget to select your necklace and put in your cart. It should be shipped with your new goodies! Bet you can guess which necklace I ♥....

Have fun shopping! Let me know what you think about the Jack Rogers, I really need your opinions! Have a wonderful preppy Monday and remember.....Spring will be here on March 20. :-)

p.s. Shopaholic was not compensated by Sandal World in any way to share this information. I LOVE finding and passing great deals on to my followers!

Meet Shopaholic

Married SAHW, 4o-something Years young, daughter, sister and aunt. I love to shop and will be blogging about all my designer finds, great sales, cosmetics and skin care, whatever is on the menu today! Let's have fun shopping and smiling together!